The recent popularity of wireless local area networks (“WLANs”) has resulted in massive research efforts aimed at optimizing the efficiency of such networks. One of the challenges of this research has been to maximize the functionality of hardware components of WLANs, while simultaneously conforming to specific industrial design requirements. Of particular interest is to provide a consumer with certain flexibility and allow to modify the appearance and functionality of WLAN components.
Recent developments have highlighted the desirability of dual-band functionality in WLANs. As more wireless devices (e.g., mobile computers, PDAs, and pagers, etc.) are being utilized in WLANs are capable of using either IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b or 802.11g standards, the utility of the WLAN which can operate at both the 2.4 Ghz (i.e., 802.11b/g) and the 5 GHz (i.e., 802.11a) frequency ranges increases. Therefore, WLAN hardware (e.g., access points (“APs”)) needs to have dual-band functionality. This can be accomplished, for example, by using APs that are compliant with IEEE 802.11a and/or 802.11b/g. However, due to the many variables which factor into the adoption of a dual-band WLAN infrastructure, it is desirable to give the consumer the freedom to enable a single-band WLAN initially, and then add on a second band once it becomes practical and desirable to do so. Thus, it is likewise desirable to minimize the impact of these additional features on hardware components of the WLAN.